Zagreb is the capital and largest city in Croatia and is definitely one of the
hottest destinations for travelers exploring the countries of the former East.
Croatia’s resort towns on the Adriatic are also in the spotlight, but Zagreb
is the staging area for those destinations and also a great city to explore itself.
The influences come from both east and west and the new wealth pouring in make
this an exciting and somewhat exotic attraction for most people.

What To Do

The Archeological Museum is a major highlight in Zagreb. There are nearly half
a million items within the structure, with the Egyptian collection and the refrigerated
Zagreb Mummy being major draws. The City Museum is also worth checking out. It’s
housed in a 17th Century convent and contains historical documents as well as
local art. The Mirogoj is a cemetery, but it features some fascinating design
and is one of the more notable cemeteries in the world.

For something a bit less depressing there is skiing and winter sports available
at the nearby mountain of Sljeme.

Getting There

Zagreb has a central location so many rail passengers can find themselves
passing through the city on their way from one place to another. But if you
are coming from any distance you’ll want to book
a flight into Zagreb International Airport (code: ZAG). It’s a fairly
major airport so it’s served by not only the major carriers, but also
by several of the new discount airlines as well. The airport is a bit out of
the center, but a bus can get you there and back at a reasonable cost.

Where To Stay

There are quite a few hostels
in Zagreb and the usual assortment of hotels
in Zagreb as well. Standards in this area can be lower than in Western Europe
so an inexpensive place may be more Spartan than you are used to. Summer is
the busy season here, but there are winter resorts nearby so the off season
isn’t deserted.